


Humanity's wings

by YvonneSilver



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Gen, M/M, Season/Series 09, more or less an AU of begin season 9
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2016-10-01
Packaged: 2018-08-18 21:48:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8177242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YvonneSilver/pseuds/YvonneSilver
Summary: AU where Sam helps fallen angel Castiel get used to human life.





	

Sam keeps a close watch on Cas for the first few days after his fall. There is so much that the former angel needs to learn. It’s staggering how much knowledge one takes for granted. But Sam is patient, and without skipping a beat, he begins to teach Cas the basics of humanity. With Sam’s guidance, Cas learns about using the toilet and the shower, shaving and brushing his teeth. Sam teaches him about healthy food, and how to tell when fruit has gone bad or meat is too burnt to eat.

Sam helps Cas through the first nights of humanity. At first, Cas is terrified of going to sleep without someone present. He doesn’t understand why anyone would leave a vessel without a consciousness to protect it. That’s what it feels like, he says, like abandoning a vessel. So Sam promises to watch over him while he sleeps, and when he wakes up disoriented and confused Sam helps him adjust to his physical form again. Cas never talks about it, but Sam thinks he dreams of heaven.

It could easily have been awkward, teaching a grown man how to button his shirt or tie his shoes, but Cas isn’t aware of the usual social customs, and Sam makes sure not to mock any of the questions Cas asks. He answers each of them patiently and as precisely as he can, whether they’re practical questions (like how to make a bed, or use cutlery) or emotional ones (such as why his chest contracts when looking at pictures of kittens).

-

Slowly but surely, Cas learns about the affects of humanity. Sam guides him through his first cold, and his first encounter with hiccups. Cas learns what to do when he gets water in his ear or when his foot falls asleep. He gets used to things like burping or yawning. Sam feels an odd sense of pride when he realizes Cas hasn’t asked him for anything in a week.

Yet just because he doesn’t ask for anything, doesn’t mean he isn’t missing something. Cas hasn’t learnt to hide his emotions yet, and Sam can easily tell the former angel is unhappy. He knows it from the melancholy mood Cas is in each morning. He watches Cas absentmindedly scratch as his shoulders, hunching over under an invisible weight. He notices how each time they step outside Cas takes a moment to look up at the sky, balancing hopefully on the tips of his toes, before lowering his eyes to the path at his feet.

-

One afternoon, Sam catches Cas’ wistful gaze as he watches sparrows flitting between the trees outside the bunker, and he decides to ask a question of his own. “Do you miss it?”

Cas cocks his head.

“Being an angel.” Sam clarifies.

Cas is quiet for so long that Sam begins to wonder whether he heard the question at all. Finally he answers: “No. Angels are powerful beings, but they exist like statues. It’s a life of quiet obedience. Unquestioning faith. I find there is a lot more beauty in the messiness of human life.”

In the silence that follows, Sam carefully watches Cas’ face. Cas studiously avoids eye-contact, watching the swooping sparrows instead.

“But there are certain… perks.” Cas concedes finally, rolling back his shoulders.

-

It takes Sam a little over a week, but he finds a way. On a sunny Thursday afternoon, he takes Cas out for a drive.

“What are we doing here?” Cas asks as Sam pulls up next to a small building.

“Just wait and see.”

Sam leads the way around to the back of the building. Cas’ eyes widen when he sees the small plane waiting for them. Sam can’t help but smile at the speechless young human. Cas follows Sam to the door of the plane, ducking under the wing, his mouth slightly open in awe. Only when Sam starts up the short flight of steps into the plane’s belly does he hesitate.

“Sam, I can’t do this. I don’t have my wings.”

The hunter turns back to him, slightly hunched over in the small door opening. He extends his hand. “Do you trust me?”

Cas only hesitates for a moment. “Yes.” He takes Sam’s hand and follows him into the small space.

-

There are already two other people in the back of plane, and Sam gives them a polite nod, but it’s clear the flight is really for them alone. They take their seats on the long bench opposite the door. As soon as they’re strapped in next to each other, the plane starts to taxi to the start of the runway. Cas has let go of Sam’s hand to fasten his seatbelt, but as soon as the plane starts moving he grabs it again. Sam gives him an encouraging smile.

“Listen, before takeoff, the plane is going to need accelerate a lot. Just lean into me, it’s fine. Then you’re probably going to feel a bit of a swoop in your underbelly when we take off. Don’t worry about it, it’s completely normal.” Sam looks over his shoulder out the window and sees the plane make the turn towards the runway. “You ready?” He asks. Cas nods and Sam squeezes his hand reassuringly. “Here we go.”

-

Sam can tell that Cas holds his breath during takeoff, but once the plane levels out and he’s yawned once or twice to clear his ears, he seems to relax. Following Sam’s lead, he shifts around in his seat till he can look out the window behind him. His breath catches, and he presses both hands against the side of the plane, holding on to the edges of the window as he brings his face close to the glass. Sam grins at the awed look on his face, before turning to his own round view of the world below.

For the longest time they watch quietly side by side. Sam only looks up when Cas starts speaking. “I’d forgotten how small everything seems from up here.” Cas whispers softly. Finally he tears his eyes away from the view to look at Sam. “Thank you for this.”

“Oh, but that’s not all I have.” Sam answers, grinning mischievously. “I know you miss flying Cas. So today, we’re going to fly.” He unlocks his seatbelt and gets to his feet.

Cas looks up at him, uncomprehending. “I don’t understand.”

Meanwhile, the two extra passengers on the plane have walked forward, each carrying a harness in their hand and a parachute on their back. Sam inclines his head to them.

“Important lesson on humanity,” he says to Cas, “If you can’t fly on your own, let somebody else be your wings.”

-

They land on a field in the middle of nowhere. Sam uncouples from his skydiving partner and waddles to where Cas is sitting in the grass. For a moment he’s worried the experience has been too much (he’s a little shaky himself from the sheer adrenaline of the jump), but as he gets closer he hears the former angel is laughing. When Cas looks up at him, Sam doesn’t think he’s ever seen such joy in those old eyes.

“You humans, you are truly beautiful,” Cas gasps, tears streaming from his eyes.

Sam reaches down and helps him to his feet. “Yes we are.”

They’re standing chest to chest now, their hands clasped between them. Sam feels his heart hammering in his chest, but isn’t sure if it’s brought on by the rush of jumping out of an airplane or the nearness of his ex-angel.

Cas is flushed, and breathing heavily as he looks up at his hunter. Suddenly, he gets up on his tiptoes and pecks Sam lightly on the lips. He smiles. “Yes we are.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you're interested, you can find Cas' point of view of the flight on [my tumblr here](http://parvasilvi.tumblr.com/post/119801464689). Please come back to leave a comment or a kudo's though!


End file.
